For Immediate Release
2014/9/17
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The average time on the Environmental Doomsday Clock for all respondents was 9:23, a 4-minute advancement
from last year.
Of the 9 regions surveyed, the needle on the clock advanced in only 3 regions, while it retreated in 6.
Almost all the regions continued to be in the “Extremely Concerned” quadrant, as in previous years.
Globally, the environmental condition of concern most frequently cited in determining the time on the
Doomsday Clock was “Climate Change,” followed by “Pollution/Contamination” and “Biodiversity.”
The number one reason for selecting “Climate Change,” which respondents most frequently identified as
the most pressing issue, was “the number of observable cases (frequency) increased significantly.”
When arranging the environmental issues by the times respondents assigned to them on the Doomsday
Clock, “Population” had the most advanced time, at 9:42.
The Asahi Glass Foundation (Chairman: Tetsuji Tanaka) has conducted surveys with environmental experts around
the world each year since 1992. This year, the survey was distributed in 210 counties and the Foundation received
2,343 responses from 155 countries. The following are the major findings of the survey. The results of the survey
are detailed in the report, “Results of the 23rd Questionnaire on Environmental Problems and the Survival of
Humankind,” which is mailed to all respondents, as well as made available on the Foundation’s web site soon.
1. Awareness of the Crisis Facing Human Survival - The Environmental Doomsday Clock
• The average time on the Environmental Doomsday Clock for all respondents advanced by 4 minutes to 9:19.
Despite a doubling in the number of respondents from last year, the average time remained in a similar range.
Movements in the Environmental Doomsday Clock (Overall)
Movements in the Environmental Doomsday Clock (2009 – 2014, Overall)
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Movements in the Environmental Doomsday Clock since 1992 to 2014
Movements in the Environmental Doomsday Clock since 1992 to 2014
• The region in which the time on the Environmental Doomsday Clock showed the greatest retreat from last
year was Eastern Europe & the former Soviet Union, which went from 9:48 to 8:59.
• Of the 9 regions surveyed, the time retreated in 6, might be indicating a lowering of the sense of crisis among
respondents in those regions.
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2. Environmental Conditions of Concern in Determining the Doomsday Clock Time (Overall)
The questionnaire asked respondents to select and rank three issues from the following 11 categories of
environmental problems that are the most pressing in the country or region where they resided. (See
questionnaire report for further details.)
1. Climate Change; 2. Biodiversity; 3. Land Use; 4. Pollution/Contamination; 5. Water Resources; 6.
Population; 7. Food; 8. Lifestyles; 9. Global Warming Measures; 10. Environment and Economy; 11.
Environment and Society
2-1. Selection Rates of Environmental Condition of Concern
• Like last year, respondents overall most frequently selected “Climate Change” at 24.5% when considering the
most pressing environmental issue in determining the time on the Environmental Doomsday Clock. This was
followed by “Pollution/Contamination” at 12.5% and “Biodiversity” at 11.7%.
2-2. Ranking of Doomsday Clock Times for Environmental Conditions of Concern
• When arranging the environmental issues by the times respondents assigned to them on the Doomsday Clock,
“Population” had the most advanced time at 9:42, replacing “Biodiversity” which was in that position last year.
• Led by “Biodiversity,” the issues “Global Warming Measures,” “Environment and Society,” “Environment and
Economy,” “Land Use,” “Climate Change,” and “Pollution/Contamination” all had very similar times in the
9:20 range.
• All 11 issues, including “Food,” for which respondents indicated the lowest sense of crisis, all fell into the
“Extremely Concerned” quadrant.
Weighted Average Environmental Doomsday Clock Time by Category
2-3. Regional Selection Patterns for Environment Conditions of Concern
• Overall, respondents from most regions most frequently selected “Climate Change,” at 25%. This was followed
by “Pollution/Contamination” and “Biodiversity” at 12% each, and “Land Use” and “Water Resources” at 11%
each.
• “Food,” “Lifestyles” (except South Korea), and “Global Warming Measures” were only selected in single-digit
percentages in every region.
Selection Percentage
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2-4. Selection Rationale for Most Pressing Environmental Condition
• The number one reason for selecting “Climate Change,” which respondents most frequently chose as the most
pressing issue, was “the number of observable cases (frequency) increased significantly.” This was followed by
“it is a fundamental problem with commonalities to many environmental issues.”
• The number one reason for selecting “Population,” which was assigned the most advanced time on the
Doomsday Clock, was “it is a fundamental problem with commonalities to many environmental issues.”
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2-5. The Current Condition of the Condition of Concern
• An overwhelming majority of respondents stated that the condition they chose as the most pressing
environmental issue “is deteriorating compared to 3-5 years ago,” at 82%.
There haven’t been significant
changes compared to 3-5 years ago
The condition is
improving compared
5%
to 3-5 years ago
%%
13%
The condition is
deteriorating compared to 3-5 years ago
82%
3. Responses Moving Forward (Analysis of Comments)
3-1. 10-Year Forecast If No Measures Are Implemented
A large majority of respondents, 1,304, stated that if no measures are implemented to address the environment in the
country or region where they resided, there would be an “eruption of serious societal problems” in 10 years. This was
followed by “rise in greenhouse gases, increase in weather abnormalities” at 1,208 responses.
total number
3-2. Measures to Prevent Anticipated Conditions
The largest number of respondents, 940, wrote that “governments, international organizations, political
decision-makers, and global action” were necessary to prevent the anticipated conditions. This was followed by
569 who expressed the need for “recognition for environmental problems and the improvement in awareness,
education.”
total number
The survey includes a Comments section in which respondents are invited to write about environmental problems in
their countries, their opinions, and solutions. This year, we surpassed the record in the number of comments we
received in the history of the survey, totaling 1,727 respondents in 155 countries around the world as well as 432
respondents in Japan, for a total of 2159. These comments are published with the full report, “Results of the 23nd
Annual Questionnaire on Environmental Problems and the Survival of Humankind.” Respondents’ comments will
be made also available on the Foundation’s web site (http://www.af-info.or.jp) on September 25th at 2 p.m.
In addition, all of the responses, which were the bases of this analysis, are being compiled into a Databook and
will also be made available on the web site.
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Appendix
• About the “Questionnaire on Environmental Problems and the Survival of Humankind”
Since 1992, the Asahi Glass Foundation has conducted a survey each year with experts around the world who are
knowledgeable and are involved in environmental issues. The respondent pool includes government officials and
members of universities and research institutions, nongovernmental organizations, corporations and mass media.
These experts are queried about various endeavors to counter environmental problems. The questionnaires are
produced in 6 languages (English, Chinese, French, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish) and are sent out around April
each year, and collected by June. After the responses are compiled, compared, and analyzed, the survey results are
announced in September. The report is available in those six languages. The pie chart below shows the affiliation of
the questionnaire respondents in descending order. The questionnaire was sent to respondents in 210 countries
including Japan, with responses returning from 155 countries.
Number of Countries Surveyed
Countries
Region
Oceania
United States & Canada
Central America, Caribbean countries
South America
Western Europe
Africa
Middle East
Eastern Europe & former Soviet Union
Asian
Total
15
2
30
13
25
56
16
28
25
210
• Facts about This Year’s Questionnaire
Survey period: Questionnaires were sent out in April 2014 with a return deadline of June 2014
Questionnaire respondent pool: Environmental experts selected from members of government organizations,
academic and research institutions, NGOs, corporations, and mass media. (based on the Asahi Glass Foundation
database)
Questionnaires mailed:23,953 (22725 to 209 countries and 1,228within Japan)
Questionnaires returned: 2,343
Response rate: 9.784%
Breakdown of respondents by region:
Oceania
United States & Canada
Central America, Caribbean countries
South America
Western Europe
Africa
Middle East
Eastern Europe & former Soviet Union
Asian
Total
6
98
250
68
144
277
215
64
71
1156
2343
4.2
10.7
2.9
6.2
11.8
9.2
2.7
3
49.3
100